The Most Comfortable Way to Sleep Outside: A Practical Guide

Haven Tents · October 21, 2026 · 4 min read

What's the most comfortable way to sleep outside? For most people it comes down to four things: a flat, evenly supported surface; insulation underneath you as well as on top; shelter from wind, rain and bugs; and a setup you can sleep in your normal position. How you get there depends on how you camp. Car campers can bring a cot, a thick mattress or a rooftop tent. Backpackers usually rely on a good pad in a light tent. If you sleep on your side or stomach, or wake up sore on the ground, a lay-flat hammock tent gives you a flat bed off the ground with the insulation and shelter built in. No single setup is best for everyone; here's how to choose.

Two Haven hammock tents hanging side by side in an autumn forest

The four things that make sleeping outside comfortable

A flat, supported surface. Your body is used to a mattress. Lumps, slopes and curves (like a traditional hammock's banana shape) are what keep most people awake.
Insulation underneath. The ground, or cold air under a hammock or cot, pulls heat from below faster than air does from above. A sleeping bag compresses under you, so it doesn't do much there.
Shelter. Wind, rain, bugs and early light all wake you up. A good rainfly, a bug net and a sheltered spot matter as much as the bed.
Your normal sleep position. If you sleep on your side or stomach at home, a setup that forces you onto your back won't feel comfortable however soft it is.

Options compared

Setup	Flat surface	Off the ground	Side/stomach friendly	Best for
Tent + thin backpacking pad	Yes	No	Depends on pad	Backpacking, lowest weight
Tent + thick pad or camp mattress	Yes	No	Better	Car camping
Tent + cot	Yes, firm	Yes	Usually	Car camping with space
Traditional hammock + underquilt	No, curved	Yes	Hard for most	Back sleepers among trees
Lay-flat hammock tent	Yes	Yes	Yes	Side and stomach sleepers; anyone sore on the ground
Rooftop tent	Yes	Yes	Yes	Vehicle-based trips

Why we built a lay-flat hammock tent

Our founder, Derek, spent years sleeping badly outside: on a pad over rocks and roots, then in hammocks that bent him like a banana. The Haven is his answer: an insulated air mattress held flat in a suspended frame, with a rainfly and bug net built in. You sleep off the ground, on a flat surface, in whatever position you sleep in at home. The design is explained in The Secret Design Behind the Haven Tent, and what we mean by an outdoor sleep system is on our hub page.

It has trade-offs. Each Haven sleeps one person (285 lb rating, or 350 lb for the Safari), it needs two trees, a stand or a hitch mount, and it's heavier than a bare hammock or an ultralight tent. When a ground tent is the better choice is covered in Haven vs Ground Tents.

Three Haven Tents hanging between aspen trees on the Main Salmon River

Match the setup to what keeps you awake

The best shelter for sleep depends on what's waking you up. Start there:

What keeps you awake	What usually helps
Rocks, roots or a slope	A level site, a thicker pad, or getting off the ground (cot or hammock tent)
Sore hips or shoulders	More cushioning, or a flat bed off the ground; see Camping With Back, Hip or Joint Pain
Cold from below	Better insulation underneath (why it matters even off the ground)
Heat	Shade, airflow and a lighter bag; hammock tents in hot weather
Bugs	A shelter you can zip fully closed
Early light	An eye mask, or pitch where morning shade falls
Noise	Earplugs, and a site away from roads and busy loops
Wind and rain	A shelter pitched for storms; hammock tent vs tent in rain and wind
Feeling cramped	A roomier tent, or a wider bed such as a 30 in Haven

Comfort tips whatever you sleep in

Test at home. A backyard night tells you more than a spec sheet.
Dial in your bed. Inflate pads fully and top them off at bedtime. In a hammock, get the hang angle right (guide).
Dress for the night's low. Bring a bag or quilt rated below it, and sleep in a dry layer.
Bring a real pillow and earplugs.
Vent your shelter to keep condensation down (managing condensation).

Find the right setup for you

Side sleeper: Hammocking for Side Sleepers
Stomach sleeper: A Hammock for Stomach Sleepers
Waking up sore: How to Stop Waking Up Sore After Sleeping in a Tent
Choosing between beds: Hammock vs Cot vs Sleeping Pad
Car camping: Best Car Camping Sleep Setup
Backpacking: Hammock Tent vs Ground Tent
Cold nights: How to Hammock Camp in the Cold
Hot nights: Do Hammock Tents Keep You Cooler in Hot Weather?
Bugs: Hammock Tents vs Regular Tents for Bug Protection
Camping as a couple: Flat Hammock Tent vs Tree Tent for Two
Is a lay-flat hammock right for you: Are Lay-Flat Hammocks Worth It? and Can You Sleep Flat in a Hammock?
Putting a whole setup together: What Is an Outdoor Sleep System?
New to camping: How to Choose a Camping Shelter as a Beginner
Back, hip or joint pain: Camping With Back, Hip or Joint Pain
Rain and wind: Hammock Tent vs Tent in Rain and Wind
Regular hammock or lay-flat: Lay-Flat vs Regular Hammock

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Camper lying flat on the insulated pad inside a blue Haven XL

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